For the State Register.
Upon contract with Wm. Duane Wilson, I have put up a package for each member of the Legislature, containing three Concord Grape Vines, three Houghton’s Seedling Gooseberries, three Linnaeus Pie Plants, and ten cuttings of the French Osier Willow, and offer the following suggestions as to their cultivation:
Plant the Grape eight or ten inches deep, on dry land, or if slightly rolling to the South, or Southeast, all the better as a Southern aspect will hasten the maturity of the fruit. – From the beginning, bear in mind that the grape must have thorough cultivation, and to facilitate its accomplishment, locate the vines where the plow can be used, if possible, for with it, we can cultivate the vine with as much ease as we can corn. I do not consider it indispensably necessary to the success of the fine here to have the subsoil trenched as in the region of Cin. Indeed, our soil is more porous here without any preparation more than an ordinary plowing, than the Cincinnati land is with trenching three feet deep, and the roots of our vines without any special invitation run right down. The first summer let all the vine grow without pruning, keeping the ground stirred well, till the middle of August, and the more vine you have, the more roots will be formed, and more vigorous the growth the succeeding season. In the fall cut away the vines after frost, and lay them a few inches under the earth and they will make good cuttings for the following spring, and if put cut a foot deep as early as the ground is in workable order, and the ground kept mellow and clear of weeds during the summer, they will produce good plants notwithstanding the small size of the cuttings. But you must not stop propagating yet. You must have your hundreds of grape vines and produce them yourselves, and you will find layering the best and most expeditions system of propagation after the first season, to do which, cultivate the ground very early and well in spring, which will give vigorous shoots, not more than four of which should be allowed to grow, and when they have made a growth of from two to five feet, according to vigor, pinch off the terminal bud when laterals will shoot from the vines at every leaf. When the laterals get six inches long make a trench about three inches deep, right under the trailing vine, with the corner of a hoe, into which lay the vine and peg it firm to the bottom of the trench at one or two points, according to the length of the vine. Then draw in the soil to the vine, leaving the leaf and lateral shoot out of the ground except their base of three or four inches. This operation must not be performed with the ground is wet, or roots will not be formed very abundantly. No matter how dry the soil is to layer, but if quite dry, double as many pegs will be required to keep the wind from blowing the vine out of the ground. The soil must be well worked with a hoe after the layering is performed, up to the first of September to insure good roots. After frost take the layers up carefully with a spade, and bury beyond frost to secure the young immature roots from injury. For a regular vineyard I would plant in rows six feet apart, and four feet in the rows running north and south. Never think of training the grape on a trellis – it’s too much work without offering any advantage over the single stake, except as an ornamental display. – As to the varieties of the grapes, see IOWA HOMESTEAD, wherein I will give my views and present a few facts next month. Solon Robinson and the Farmer’s club of New York shall have a notice gratis. Having occupied more space with the grape question than was intended, the other articles I must treat on briefly.
The Houghton seedling is the most valuable gooseberry throughout the United States, and is perfectly at home here. There are several sub-varieties claiming superior merit. The one sent out was introduced here by the Rev. J. A. Nash of this city, and has proved to be much more productive than the variety under that name obtained of Barry, Rochester New York. Plant six feet by four and plow the ground well. The whole secret of success in all cultivation is good tillage. – The Linnaeus pie plant is the best variety known at present. It should be planted where it may be plowed, and after the first year should have a heavy coating of manure in the fall. It is frequently destroyed the first year by being planted in highly manured land. Use no stems from the first summer till the middle of August, and then sparingly.
The Willow should be planted in good land, and well cultivated. In planting the cuttings leave only an inch or two out of the ground.
JAS. SMITH
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, April 11, 1862
Upon contract with Wm. Duane Wilson, I have put up a package for each member of the Legislature, containing three Concord Grape Vines, three Houghton’s Seedling Gooseberries, three Linnaeus Pie Plants, and ten cuttings of the French Osier Willow, and offer the following suggestions as to their cultivation:
Plant the Grape eight or ten inches deep, on dry land, or if slightly rolling to the South, or Southeast, all the better as a Southern aspect will hasten the maturity of the fruit. – From the beginning, bear in mind that the grape must have thorough cultivation, and to facilitate its accomplishment, locate the vines where the plow can be used, if possible, for with it, we can cultivate the vine with as much ease as we can corn. I do not consider it indispensably necessary to the success of the fine here to have the subsoil trenched as in the region of Cin. Indeed, our soil is more porous here without any preparation more than an ordinary plowing, than the Cincinnati land is with trenching three feet deep, and the roots of our vines without any special invitation run right down. The first summer let all the vine grow without pruning, keeping the ground stirred well, till the middle of August, and the more vine you have, the more roots will be formed, and more vigorous the growth the succeeding season. In the fall cut away the vines after frost, and lay them a few inches under the earth and they will make good cuttings for the following spring, and if put cut a foot deep as early as the ground is in workable order, and the ground kept mellow and clear of weeds during the summer, they will produce good plants notwithstanding the small size of the cuttings. But you must not stop propagating yet. You must have your hundreds of grape vines and produce them yourselves, and you will find layering the best and most expeditions system of propagation after the first season, to do which, cultivate the ground very early and well in spring, which will give vigorous shoots, not more than four of which should be allowed to grow, and when they have made a growth of from two to five feet, according to vigor, pinch off the terminal bud when laterals will shoot from the vines at every leaf. When the laterals get six inches long make a trench about three inches deep, right under the trailing vine, with the corner of a hoe, into which lay the vine and peg it firm to the bottom of the trench at one or two points, according to the length of the vine. Then draw in the soil to the vine, leaving the leaf and lateral shoot out of the ground except their base of three or four inches. This operation must not be performed with the ground is wet, or roots will not be formed very abundantly. No matter how dry the soil is to layer, but if quite dry, double as many pegs will be required to keep the wind from blowing the vine out of the ground. The soil must be well worked with a hoe after the layering is performed, up to the first of September to insure good roots. After frost take the layers up carefully with a spade, and bury beyond frost to secure the young immature roots from injury. For a regular vineyard I would plant in rows six feet apart, and four feet in the rows running north and south. Never think of training the grape on a trellis – it’s too much work without offering any advantage over the single stake, except as an ornamental display. – As to the varieties of the grapes, see IOWA HOMESTEAD, wherein I will give my views and present a few facts next month. Solon Robinson and the Farmer’s club of New York shall have a notice gratis. Having occupied more space with the grape question than was intended, the other articles I must treat on briefly.
The Houghton seedling is the most valuable gooseberry throughout the United States, and is perfectly at home here. There are several sub-varieties claiming superior merit. The one sent out was introduced here by the Rev. J. A. Nash of this city, and has proved to be much more productive than the variety under that name obtained of Barry, Rochester New York. Plant six feet by four and plow the ground well. The whole secret of success in all cultivation is good tillage. – The Linnaeus pie plant is the best variety known at present. It should be planted where it may be plowed, and after the first year should have a heavy coating of manure in the fall. It is frequently destroyed the first year by being planted in highly manured land. Use no stems from the first summer till the middle of August, and then sparingly.
The Willow should be planted in good land, and well cultivated. In planting the cuttings leave only an inch or two out of the ground.
JAS. SMITH
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, April 11, 1862
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